For Boca council, Mayotte, Rodgers are the best picks
COUNCIL SEAT D: Boca Raton is thriving, with a AAA financial rating, A-rated schools and well-tended amenities that include hundreds of acres of parks and two libraries. Or, it’s worrisomely crowded as its downtown fills with high-rise condos and plans are debated over a big mixed-use project called Midtown, near Town Center mall.
Armand Grossman, a former educator vying for City Council Seat D in the March 13 election, favors the former description, going so far as to call school overcrowding a good sign of the city’s progress because it shows that people want to move in.
The Post endorses his opponent, Monica Mayotte, who takes a more realistic view of growth’s impacts. “Development projects,” she said, “must address our quality of life issues — traffic, parking, overcrowded schools, open green space.”
Mayotte, 55, is a member of the city’s Green Living Advisory Board and a contributor to Boca Watch, the gadfly website associated with Councilwoman Andrea O’Rourke and failed mayoral candidate Al Zucaro. She works as a sustainability specialist for JM Family Enterprises. High priorities for her are “to be the voice of the residents” and “to restore respect and transparency to our council.”
Neither Grossman, 75, nor Mayotte has held office in Boca Raton before. A third candidate, Paul Preste, did not answer a Post questionnaire or respond to an invitation to meet with the Editorial Board.
COUNCIL SEAT C: Deputy Mayor Jeremy Rodgers, a council member since 2015, has token opposition in Kim Do, 47, a lawyer and CPA who moved to Boca a year ago. Rodgers, 39, an engineer with IBM, has been pushing to increase tech jobs, especially for veterans. That’s important for attracting younger people and expanding the tax base. Rodgers will provide needed continuity on a council that is undergoing much change. We endorse him keeping his seat.